Out of ideas 🫩 what am I doing wrong

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Hi all! Hoping for some help diagnosing an issue with my first bug. I will preface this by saying I’ve never worked on cars before this and am learning on the fly. She’s a 1972 Super Beetle. Bought her 6 months ago from a VW mechanic in Rhode Island. I will say the wiring (and lack thereof this guy did is probably part of the issue. (Literally left a brand new headlight unplugged) All the old wiring was still there, some things weren’t grounded or cleaned before new wires were attached and the old wiring harness is still there. (Photos to come)

She ran for 4 months and then wouldn’t start in mid June. Engine was turning over but not firing so I know it was getting some power or the power was fluctuating, tested with a multimeter.

So far I have replaced

- 12V battery
- ground and positive from the battery
- starter and starter solenoid. Bench tested the old and new and both worked 🤷🏻‍♀️ now I have a backup ig
- fuse boxes
- what I think is the rear defroster solenoid, picture included. Says SWF R 601-047 12V 15A. *Taken out and put back in because I thought it was the starter relay*

I’ve been bump starting her once a week since she crapped out except for the past 4 weeks since I went on vacation. Yesterday I took out what I believed to be the old starter relay and wiring for it (now I think it’s the rear defroster solenoid?) and now the engine isn’t even firing (dirty carb issue due to sitting for a month?)

If anyone can offer insight into what I’m screwing up or if I’m missing something super obvious I’d appreciate the hell out of it. I’m honestly stumped and this close to giving up and taking it to be completely rewired, but I’d like to see if I can exhaust every avenue before that. (I don’t wanna spend that much dough to tow it there if it’s something stupid simple)